Chicken Dumplings - Momo

Beginning this year with a recipe for "Dumplings", hugely popular in many parts of Asia and has now made it's place as one of the world's most favorite snack. Dumplings are always a crowd pleaser and is a kind of food one can have almost at any time of the day. There are various kinds and types of Dumplings from different countries like China, Nepal, Japan, Korea etc. India is mostly exposed to the dumplings from Nepal called "Momo". This was the only face of dumpling known to me until I moved to Shanghai in 2012.
I came to know Dumplings originated in China. It was there that I got exposed to the world of Dumplings from Steamed Dumplings "Jiaozi" to Potstickers to Wantons and its variation the Wanton soup and my Soupy dumpling -"Xiao long bao"  and Crystal Shrimp dumpling to name a renowned few. In China during occasions preparing Dumpling at home is a family affair where everyone contributes in the preparation of the dish. 
I learnt to make dumplings from Ni Su Mai, our housekeeper in Shanghai.Though there was a language barrier but we could manage to understand with mix of broken sentences, hand gestures and a lot of guess work 😊
What I understood that even home cooks are extremely proficient in making dumplings and the output was no less professional then a commercial establishment.

In a lot countries readymade dumpling wrappers are available to buy, but in India I have not come across them thus including the recipe for the same with the basic dumpling recipe.
I am sharing the basic recipe of Dumplings. 

Food made with love at home is incomparable with anything we find outside, although it might look rustic but the mix of love and flavour is what we always remember



Prep Time : 1.5hrs
Cooking Time : 20 mins
Serving : 4

Ingredients

1. 300 gm minced chicken
2. 250 gm of all purpose flour(maida), extra flour for dusting
3. 50 gm of rice flour
4. A bunch of scallions finely chopped
5. 2 tsp light soy sauce
6. 2 tsp dark soy sauce
7. 2 tsp grated garlic 
8. 1 tsp ginger grated
9. 5 tablespoon of refined oil
10. 2 tsp of equal portions of Black and white pepper
11. 1 Egg
12.  Salt
13.  120 ml boiling water, some more extra water

Cooking Utensils:
Dumpling cooking pans/ Steamer/ any  perforated plate which fits any covered heavy bottom pan

Instructions : 
Homemade Dumpling Wrapper:

1. In a bowl add the rice and refined flour , then add a tablespoon of oil in the water.
2. Start adding small amount of water at a time and start mixing and kneading the dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for an hour.
3. Start kneading the dough by adding some flour dust on the counter 
4. The dough should be medium soft. Let the dough rest for 20 mins
5. Cut the dough into half, keep the other half and cover it with a damp cloth
6. Start rolling out the remaining dough to a thin sheet
7. While rolling out the dough, dust the surface and the sheet with flour
8. Use a round shape glass to create round impressions. Remove the impressions and sheets are ready to be used. his method helps to maintain the same size for each wrappers
9. Dust each round sheets and pile up the whole set. Dumpling wrappers are ready.
10. Repeat the same process with the remaining dough.
11. Follow the video to have a better idea about to prepare dumpling sheet

Filling :

1. Wash the minced chicken in a strainer and let it sit in a colander for half an hour so that all the water drains off.
2. Add the chopped scallions, grated ginger garlic, egg,3 tsp of oil and both pepper. Mix them well and keep aside.
3. Add the salt to the mixture just before you start adding the filling to the wrapper

Assembling:

1. Before wrapping ,role the prepared dumpling sheet again to get fine skin of the dumpling
2. Take a teaspoon amount of the filling and place it on the middle of the dumpling sheet
3. Damp with little water half the circle and seal the sheet by pressing the other side of the dampen side of the sheet . This is the beginner method of sealing the dumpling.
4. To the perforated pan grease the surface with oil and place the dumplings
5. Add water to the dumpling pan and let it come to boil, place the pan with dumplings and cover it with a lid. Let it steam for 15-20 mins under medium heat
6. Steam dumplings are ready , serve hot with a dipping sauce
7. Follow the video and master on one of the wrapping techniques 

Note :

1. Don't kneed the dough very hard nor very soft, after the dough rests for 20 mins  it soften
2. The filling should not be having excess liquid then folding the dumpling will be a challenge